Warning: If you're completely content with yourlife, don't read this book. But if you'd like to break through to higher levels of performance, understnading, and happiness...this book is magic.'Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Meaning & Medicine and Healing Words.

Why fight your way to the top when you can rise to it?

Let go of the obsession to win-and you will be victorious. Acknowledge your vulnerabilites-and turn them into strengths. Find the courage to risk failure-and begin your journey to success.

That s the secret of the TaoAthlete, and in the remarkable book t'ai chi expert Chungliang Al Huang and renowned professional and Olympic sports psychologist Jerry Lynch teach you the time-honored principles of successful performance-whether on the playing field, in the office, or in your relatinships. By mastering the unique strategies and mental exercises of the TaoAthlete, you'll unlock the extraordinary powers of body, mind, and spirit that will lead you to victory in any field of endeavor.

'In six months my level of performance has grown more than in the previous ten years of athletic training. Using Taoist principles of performance has ushed me to levels I never dreamed possible.'-Steven Gottlieb, all-American 1989 NCAA Tennis Division III champion.

'Bringing Eastern thought to the Western world of sport really works...My game has improved immensely.'-Vince Stroth, offensive guard, Houston Oilers, NFL

'The Tao is responsible for turning my life around, athletically and personally. I am now able to believe in myself and perform to my capability.'-Regina Jacobs, U.S. Olympic Track Team

Contents

Acknowledgments
Prologue by Jerry Lynch
Prologue by Chungliang Al Huang
I Blueprints: Awakening to the tao
A. From Western sports to TaoSports preparations for the journey
The emergence of the taoathlete
How to read this book
B. Visualizations
Getting started-Exercise: Deep abdominal breating; Visualizatiion: A quiet, tranquil place
When to use visualization
Using anchors
C. Affirmations-the language of taosports
Application of affirmations
Guidelines for creating personal affirmations
II The foundation: Entering the tao: The beginner's mind
A. Beliefs
Taosport training for athletics-Exercise: Acting 'as if'; Affirmations for believing in self; Visualization: expanding beliefs
Taosports for business andlife-Affirmations for expanding beliefs; Exercise-mitigating irrational beliefs
B. Positive thinking
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for positive thinking; Visualization: Positive results; Visualization: Positive self-image; Affirmations for self-image; Exercise: Remembering your greater self
Taosport for business and life-Guides for positive thinking and positive acts; Visualization: Overcoming self-doubt
C. Relaxation
Taosporat training for athletics-Visualization: A warm ray of sunshine; Anchor for relaxation; Affirmations for relazing
Taosports for business and life-Guides for relaxation; Exercise: Relaxing the body
D. Vision
Taosport training for athletice-Visualization: Anchor for improved technique; Visualizatioin: Optimal performance
Taosports for business and life-Visualization: Abundance; guides for vision
E. Focusing
Taosport training for athletics-Visualization: Stopping distraction; Affirmations for focusing
Taosports for business and life-Visualization: Training the mind to focus; Exercise: Focus from distarction; Exercise: candle focusing; Guides for focusing
F. Centering
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmatins for centering; Visualization: Centering
Taosports for business and life-Visualization: Coming back to the center; Guides for centering
G. Intuition
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for intuition
Taosport for business and life-Visualization: Finding a spiritual guide; Exercise: Becoming conscious of who you are; Exercise: staying to the left of your 'But'; Exercise: Using intuition for snap judgments
H. Reflection
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for 'Tuning in' to your life; Exercise: Inventory
Taosports for buisness and life-Guides for conscious living through reflection; Exercise: Reflection
III The obstacles Going beyond blocks to the beginner's mind
A. Fear
Taosport training for athletics
Visualization: Releasing fear; Exercise: Subdividing tasks; Afirmations for fearlessness
Taosport for business and life-Visualization: Changing fear to comfort
Guides for handling fear
B. Fear of failure
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for reframing failure; Exercise: From failure to opportunity; Visualization: Self-focus
Taosport for business and life- Guides for coping with adversity; Exercise: Breaking 'Failurephobia'; Exercise: Shattering the myths of failure
C. Fear of success
Taosport training for athletics-Exercise: Uncovering fear of success; Visualization: Discovering fear of success; Visualization: Embracing success; Affirmations: beyond fear of success
Taosport for buisness and life-To choose or not to choose-success; Living the tao in the face of success
D. Slumps
Taosport training for athletics-Visualization: Slumps; Affirmations for coming out of slumps
Taosport for buisness and life-Guides for getting out of slumps; Visualization: A nonforce approach to management; Affirmations for nonforce management
E. Fatigue
Taosport training for athletics-Guides for overcoming fatigue; Visualization: Fatigue control
Taosport for buisness and life-Guides for mitigating fatigue; Visualization: Reenergizing
G. Injuries
Taosport training for athletics-Relieving panic-Infusing hope; Visualizatin: In search of opportunity; Visualizatin: Healing and preventing injury; Affirmations for health and healing
Taosport for buisness and life-Laughter heals; Guides for coping with injury or illness; Visualization: Healing
H. Expectations
Taosport training for athletics-Exercise: Changing expectations to preferences; Affirmations for unexpectedness
Taosport for buisness and life-Visualization: Releasing expectations; Affirmations for parents with expectations; Exercise: A time of no expectations
I. Self-criticism
Taosport training for athletics-Exercise: Feeling the difference; Affirmations for self-love
Taosport for business and life-Exercise: Noticing your positive qualities; Guides for self-support and nurturance
J. Perfectionism
Taosport training for athletics-Exercise: Profit and loss; Affirmations for going beyond the perfectionsim trap
Taosport for business and life-Visualization: Letting go of perfectionism; Guides for side-stepping perfectionism
IV The frame More taosport mindsets for extraordinary performance
A. Confidence
Taosport training for athletics-Guides for developing conficence; Visualization: Confdence
Taosport for business and life-Guides for confidence; Visualization: Confidence in pressure situatons
B. Assertiveness
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmatins for assertiveness; Visualization: Identifying with the asserter
Taosport for business and life-Guides for assertiveness; Exercise: Coping assertively with aggressive people; Affirmations for assertiveness
C. Courageousness
Taosport training for athletics-Exercise: Cokurage to take the risk; Affirmations for risk taking
Taosport for business and life-Guides for risk taking; Exercise: Courage to risk; Visualization: On-the-job risk taking
D. Detachment
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for detachment from results; Visualization: Seeing yourself detached
Taosport for business and life-Exercise: Seven steps to detachment; Visualization: Personal freedom; How to catch butterflies
E. Egolessness
Taosport training for athletics-Visualization: Egolessness; Affirmations for egolessness
Taosport for business and life-Visulalization: Egolessness; Guides for egolessness
F. Selflessness
Taosport training for athleticsVisualization: Selfless play; Affirmations for selflessness
Taosport for business and life-Guides for making a difference; Frogiving-For giving selflessley
G. Conscientiousness
Taosport training for athletics-Checklist for conscientioiusness; Visualization: Conscientiousness
Taosport for business and life-Guides for conscientious behavior; Affirmations for conscientiousness
V The inner structure Taosport strategies and techniques
A. Competition
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for competiton partnership; Visualization: A new view of competition
Taosport for business and life-Guides for healthy competiton; Visualizatin: Function without conflict
B. Winning
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for winners; Visualization: Acting 'as if' you're a winner
Taosport for business and life-Guides for a winning attitude
C. Psychological tactics
Taosport training for athletics-The law of polarity; Exercise: Don't work harder-work smarter; Visualization: Seelng the paradox
Taosport for business and life-Guides for psychological tactics; Affirmations for gaining the advantage
D. Motivation
Taosport training for athletics-Guides for maintaining motivation; Visualization: Motivation
Taosport for business and life-Visualization: Choosing options you value; Guides for creating motivation
E. Goal setting
Taosport training for athletics-Visualization: Goals; Affirmations for goal setting
Taosport for business and life-Exercise: Setting goals; Visualization: The process
F. Self-improvement
Taosport training for athletics-Guides for continual self-improvement; Affirmations for self-improvement
Taosport for business and life-Guides for self-imporvement; Visualization: Self-improvement; Exercise: Leadership self-improvement; Exercise: Daily self-improvement
G. Synergy
Taosport training for athletics-Exercise: Circle of recognition; Guides for fueling the fires of spirit; Visualization: Synergy
Taosport for business and life-Visualization: Synergy; Guides for synergy; Affirmations for synergy
H. Leadership
Taosport training for athletics-Guides for conscious leadership
Taosport for business and life-Guides for management; Affirmations for effective management
VI The finishing touches Advanced taosport virtues
A. Integrity
Taosport training for athletics-Visualization: Maintaining integrity on the road; Exercise: Contacting your integrity in the heat of competition; Guides for performing with integrity; Affirmations for integrity
Taosport for business and life-Exercise: straength assessment; Guides for maintaining integrity; Visualization: Maintaining your code of ethics
B. Adaptation
Taosport training for athletics-=Visualization: Mental simulation training; affirmations for adaptation
Taosport for business and life-Guides for adaptatioin; Visualization: adaptation
C. Persistence
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for persistence; Visualization: Persistence
Taosport for business and life-Guides for persistence; Characteristics of people who persist
D. Balance
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for balance
Taosport for business and life-Guides for balance; Tips for halthy moderationi; Visualization: The balanced person
E. Simplicity
Taosport training for athletics-Affirmations for simplicity; Visualization: Simplification
Taosport for business and life-Guides for simplicity
Epilogue
Index

Eastern slant on mental preparation for sport & life; partially read

An excellent and one of the best advisory style manuals for personal growth in all concentrations of life, from business to personal life and athletics. It describes crippling mindsets and abnormal behaviors caused by western thinking and approaches.